“If you dare to walk out of this room without my permission, this Xiao dares to treat you as a person not from the Heavenly Alliance!”
Xiao Chen’s cold voice echoing in the pavilion made the Bountiful Treasure Pavilion’s Liu Zhang freeze.
Xiao Chen just said some simple words. However, everyone clearly felt the cold, emotionless killing intent coming from his body.
The atmosphere in the room immediately turned somewhat heavy.
Aside from heartbeats and the sough of the wind, there was no other sound.
Was this just bravado, or would Xiao Chen really kill?
These Association Chiefs of the Heavenly Alliance’s subordinate merchant associations did not know. They all peeked at Xiao Chen. However, he did not show any expression, appearing cold and unfathomable.
Damn it!
Liu Zhang cursed in his heart. His visage, which faced away from Xiao Chen, turned extremely sullen.
Regardless of whether he advanced or retreated, he was at a complete disadvantage before Xiao Chen in their first clash. This was already an indisputable fact.
Now, both advancing and retreating were difficult. Liu Zhang did not dare to act rashly.
Liu Zhang now felt somewhat afraid that Xiao Chen would ignore everything and chop him down.
Xiao Chen clearly was just a 1-Vein Sovereign Emperor. However, the strength that he showed deterred the 3-Vein Sovereign Emperor guards from taking action.
The gray-robed old man from earlier also had disappeared somewhere.
If that gray-robed old man were still around, Liu Zhang would feel confident of surviving even if Xiao Chen attacked.
Now, he did not dare to bet on it.
The best result for Liu Zhang would be if someone stood out and helped him shoulder some of the pressure.
However, not a single person in the pavilion stood up for him, which flustered him even further.
I cannot back down!
Once I back down, I will lose all my prestige. If word that an inexperienced child scared me spreads, how am I to maintain my position in the cruel imperial capital?
Humph! Since you want to play, this old man will play along. Worst case, this old man will just go down with you.
The moment Liu Zhang thought that, he suddenly felt the killing intent behind him multiply, intensifying rapidly.
Xiao Chen casually moved his right hand, forming the Buddhist sect’s Seven Kill Seal.
Xiao Chen’s killing intent seemed to stop time as it penetrated Liu Zhang’s body, like a frost spreading through his limbs, bones, and internal organs.
As long as Liu Zhang dared to act rashly, Xiao Chen would kill him without mercy.
“Association Chief Liu, come back first. It won’t be too late to leave after hearing what the envoy inspector has to say,” Su Ye suggested softly with a slight frown. She did not want to see Xiao Chen taking too strong a stance.
The moment Su Ye said that, Liu Zhang immediately released his bated breath. Then, he said indifferently, “Alright. This old man will listen to what you have to say first.”
The Golden Essence Merchant Association’s Jin Bao smiled coldly to himself. You are already frightened to the point of peeing your pants. To think that you are still putting up a strong front.
Xiao Chen smiled faintly. Then, he casually scattered his killing intent before saying, “Association Chief Liu, please, sit.”
Liu Zhang slowly took a seat with a sullen expression. However, he no longer behaved as overbearingly as before.
The other Association Chiefs felt somewhat rueful. Even Liu Zhang folded before Xiao Chen. How were they to deal with this new envoy inspector?
Xiao Chen immediately looked at the ten Association Chiefs’ faces before taking out stacks of financial records. Then, he slowly piled them up.
Financial records!
“Lord Xiao, what do you mean by this? Do you intend to audit us the moment you arrive? Do you not trust us?”
The one who spoke was the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion’s Association Chief. Financial records were sensitive things, especially those of the Heavenly Alliance’s subordinate merchant associations.
When everyone saw the financial records, they showed unsightly expressions.
Even the Golden Essence Merchant Association’s calm Jin Bao and the Nine Cauldron Merchant Association’s thoughtless Fatty Wei showed somewhat grave expressions.
Everyone looked at Xiao Chen, waiting to see how Xiao Chen would respond.
“Lord Xiao, I have checked these financial records before,” Su Ye said while raising her eyebrows. Her smile appeared somewhat cold.
Everyone had their bottom line. Clearly, these financial records were the bottom line of everyone here.
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If Xiao Chen dared to do anything about the financial records, he would offend everyone here, forcing them into desperate straits.
Jin Bao continued fiddling with the three pearls in his hand as he said, “Lord Envoy Inspector, I would like to tell you a story… Previously, someone wanted to conduct an audit on a whim.”
Jin Bao stopped speaking here. Xiao Chen understood what Jin Bao meant, but he still asked, “Then?”
Jin Bao replied calmly, “There is no then. The story ends.”
Those that dared to touch this bottom line all died…Jin Bao meant the past three envoy inspectors, using them to threaten Xiao Chen.
“No. It is only your story that ends. My story is just beginning. Would you like to hear my story?” Xiao Chen expressionlessly asked Jin Bao.
Jin Bao felt stifled. He could not understand the purpose of this question. He said, “Please go on.”
“Whoosh!”
Xiao Chen stood up and gently patted the financial records; they all turned to ashes.
This scene stupefied everyone, confusing them.
“There are no problems with the financial records. Since Pavilion Master Su checked them, how can I find any problems?”
These words should make the various Association Chiefs feel happy. However, Liu Zhang and the others felt that things were not that simple.
After a pause, Xiao Chen said, “According to the Heavenly Alliance’s rules, the subordinate merchant associations need to hand over sixty percent of their profits to the headquarters every year. Everyone followed this rule in the past few years. Today, I did not come to audit the financial records or make things difficult for everyone. I am here to give out benefits to everyone. The various merchant associations only need to hand over forty percent of the profits to headquarters from today on.”
Xiao Chen’s words immediately made the ten Association Chiefs’ expressions change.
“Hahaha! The envoy inspector is really generous, decreasing twenty percent of the burden in one go. However, I am loyal to the Heavenly Alliance. The heavens, the sun, and the moon can bear witness. This Wei is not someone who is greedy for minor benefits, not a short-sighted person. The strength of the Heavenly Alliance allowed us to establish ourselves in the imperial capital. I am willing to continue the previous rates,” Fatty Wei said grandly, standing up and pounding his chest.
Seeing that Xiao Chen was about to speak, Wei Dexin said, “Milord, there is no need to say anything more. My heart is set; there is no need to advise me further.”
Xiao Chen smiled coldly in his heart. While it was said to be sixty percent in the past, the financial records were actually faked. The profits handed over to the Heavenly Alliance’s headquarters were actually less than twenty percent. The rest were split between the merchant associations and Noble Clans in secret.
During some years, what was handed over was even less than ten percent.
Since Xiao Chen came here, he naturally would not permit such things to continue. Most importantly, this affected his own benefits.
Then, Xiao Chen saw that the others wanted to imitate Fatty Wei, wishing to express their stance.
Xiao Chen raised his hand to stop everyone. Then, he looked at Wei Dexin and said, “I am not advising you; I am granting it to you. Here is a new contract. Take a look first. If there is nothing wrong with it, just change it to sixty percent and sign it.”
The contract was written in vibrant red ink on golden paper.
Xiao Chen had stamped his envoy inspector seal and his handprint at the bottom. Fatty Wei just needed to sign and stamp his merchant association’s seal.
From then on, this contract would take effect in the Heavenly Association, unchangeable.
Fatty Wei held the contract and looked at it. He immediately paled.
While Fatty Wei read the contract, Xiao Chen handed out copies of the same contract. “You all just need to follow the forty percent. There is no need to change it.”
“The past is reset, and new financial records will be made. Pavilion Master Su and Mo Chen, Master Ku Yun’s disciple, will supervise together. I willingly submit forty percent of the profits every year to the Heavenly Alliance headquarters. This will take effect from today…”
Upon reading these lines, the Association Chiefs could not prevent their expressions from changing considerably.
Previously, these Association Chiefs had faked their financial records. While it was said to be sixty percent of the profits, it was just ten or twenty percent in reality. If they signed this contract, they would have to hand over at least an additional twenty percent.
One should not underestimate this twenty percent. Given how prosperous Yan City was, twenty percent was an astronomical sum.
Making the top ten merchant associations pay an additional twenty percent represented an inconceivable sum.
From here on, the Heavenly Alliance’s profits for one year could equal ten years—even one hundred years—of the past.
When Xiao Chen, Mo Chen, and Bao`er audited the financial records, they had calculated that these merchant associations would greatly benefit by handing over only forty percent of their profits—assuming that the financial records were true.
However, it was not that simple in reality.
Every merchant association had Noble Clans behind them. Some even had connections to the Royal Court. The profits that they embezzled mostly went to these Noble Clans and the Royal Court.
If these Association Chiefs signed the new contract, they would essentially be breaking ties with these Noble Clans. This required great courage.
The real purpose of the new contract was not to suppress the merchant associations but to drive out the Noble Clans leeching off the Heavenly Alliance.
Xiao Chen wanted to excise the tumor.
However, the tumor had already spread deep into the marrows, merging with the body. It would be hard to avoid injuring the body when trying to remove it.
If Xiao Chen did not have such determination, the Heavenly Alliance’s profits in the Yanwu Dynasty would eventually empty out.
Xiao Chen’s envoy inspector identity would just be a joke, not worth mentioning.
When the disease attacked the vitals, one needed to have the courage to risk death, using the most potent medicine to attempt to survive.